Molding



G. H. FRANK ET AL MOLDING:

Feb. 13, 1945.

Filed Sept. 29, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mum 'IIIT a S y WMM M vvWAE m wmmmxfi WHAW A 3% .W Q Y f a V .W Q m\ Feb. 13, 1945.

e. 7H. FRANK ETAL MOLDING Filed Sept. 29, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M m m nv WTWMNN W /2 NU v Feb. 13, 1945. G. HQFRANK ETAL MOLDING Filed Sept. 29, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 s Maw 3% Feb. 13, 1945. G. H. FRANK ETAL 2,369,291

MOLDING Filed Sept. 2.9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M/Vf/VTGKS 6.19. FRANK TTORA/D "line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Patented Feb. 13, 1945 George H.

Frank, ak Parkrand Bruno Mrs.

Trebes, Berwyn, Ill., asslgnors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, NewYork N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 29, 1942, Serial No. 460,065

Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for molding and more particularly to a assembly of parts. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide an" effective and eflicient apparatus for in-. jection molding an assembly of parts.

In accordance with one embodiment wention, an injection molding apparatus may be provided comprising a sectional die, one section of which is provided with-a cylindrical extrusion of thisinchamber 7 for receiving molding compound. "A

rectangular recessed portion isprovided adjacent this chamber and a laminated insert holder is positioned therein. A wedge is also positioned in said recess to force the laminations together.

Another section of the die is provided with a number of cavities so positioned andshaped that when these'two sections are broughttogether, a 'number of enclosed mold cavities are formed at points on the insert'holder. A corresponding molding die constructed in accordance withthis j a plate used in the work holder. method and apparatus for iniectionmolding an sirable that the and completelyplastifled prior to injection into the molding cavity. Incomplete curing of the compound orportionsthereof may result in a Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of 'In molding thermosetting materials, it is dc moldirig compound be uniformly defectin the final molded article. In thepresent apparatus, complete heating and curing'of the of a.

molding compound iseffected by the use number of ribbon-like extrusion apertures which extend laterally from the bottom of the cylinder to the moldingcavity. By extruding the ma- .terial through orifices of this shape, theimaterial is spread out and a large surface area or the material exposed to theheated surfacecf the die. Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a

invention is shown comprising a. lower section I5 and two upper sections it and I]. As maybe seen in Fig. 8, the three sections may be separated number of ribbon shaped runners extend radially from the extrusion chamber to each cavity. A

third section of the die is positioned adjacent these sections andiacilitates proper positioning thereof. i

Other objects and advantages ofthis invention will be apparent from the following vdetailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein: i

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an injection molding apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view along. the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

I Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view along the line. 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is afragmentary plan view of the lower section of the molding die; 1 I

Fig. 8 is ja sectional view of the molding 'apparatus, the several sections of the molding die being shown apart; i

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the produced by this apparatus;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentaryenlarged plan view of molded article the laminated insertholder and an insert;

to permit removal of a molded assembly It. In order to position the several sections properly with respect to each other when the die is closed, a pair of dowel pins I9 is provided in the upper surface of the lower section 15. These dowel pins fit closely into a corresponding pair of apertures'ZIl in the lower surface of upper section It 7 of the die.. The two upper sections are held together bya pair of threaded bolts 2i. These bolts extend through sections it and I1 and are provided with nuts 22 and large spacer members '23. The lower section i5 ofthe molding die is made, as a matter of expediency, in two sections which are held in positionby a number of dowel pins 24 as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

A cylindrical extrusion chamber 25 is formed in the lower section I5 to receive molding mate- 7 rial. At theextrusion end of this chamber 25, a number of ribbon-like orifices or runners 26.

as shown in Fig. '7; are formed in the surface of the section l5 and are shaped so as'tocause the molding material, as it is extruded, inform a ribbon. In this way, a maximum amount of heat reaches a maximum area of molding material,

thus promoting uniformity of heat treatment.

Thus, when the material reaches themold cavities, the heat treatment is then largely completed.

As may be seen-in Fig. 7, these outletsare of varying cross section,the'largest being used where the molding material is required to travel farthest. *This difference in size is required to enable the material to reach all sections of the die cavity at substantially the same time and under substantially the same pressure.

a 7 tion 32 to the left of the clamping is required to confine 7 shown in Fig.'9';- The-particular assembly there shown is intendedto be'used in a cross bar switch mechanism such as used in certain types of telephone apparatus. It is particularly important that the molded assembly be free from projecting-particlesor flash which might drop into the mechanism or otherwise interfere with the operation of the apparatus. In order to mold 'the shapes shown in a single operation, while at the same time confining the molding material to the structure is resorted to.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be there seen that the lower die section has a recessed porextrusionchamber 25. An insert holder .33 comprising a plurality of plates 34 spaced from each conducting strip 29 is positioned in this recessed portion. In use,.these strips are pressed between the plates 34 and rest on the upper surface of plates 35 as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 10. The plates are clamped together by a wedge 43 and a buffer 'bar 44 separates the plates from the wedge to prevent damage to theplates. In order to prevent'moldingmaterial from escaping from the molding areas, the lower portion of which is formed by cut out portions 36 formed in both sets of plates, the efiective clamping pressure maybe substantially increased in areas 33 adjacent thes cut out, portions by providin recessed portions 31 in one side of each of. plates 34 at intervals between the areas 38 where maximum contact and clamping pressure is desired. In this way, the contact pressure is concentrated in the areas where it is required. A continuous recessed portion between the clamping areas is not desirable, however, because the plates may tend to warp under pressure unless properly supported and thus, at spaced intervals along the recessed portions 31, small raised areas 39 are permitted to remain. However,it will be apparent that if a reduction in contact area of 50% is made, an increase in contact pressure, for a given ,wedging pressure, of, 100% is obtained.

molding material to the molding areas than may be obtained by configuring the plates 34 as just described,the clamping areas 38 may be made slightly higher than the supporting areas 39 and thus, as the plates are wedged together, the contact areas will tend to bite into the c0nducting strips 29.

A number of small apertures 40 are formed in each of the plates, andalignin rods 4| may be inserted therein to position the plates properly with respect to eachpther. Itwill be seen in Fig. 7 that the radially extending runners 26 communicate with each of the molding cavities formed by the cut out portions 35 in the plates 34- and 35. Exhaust grooves or vents 42 are formed in the upper surface of the bufier bar 44 communicating with the molding cavities so formed to permit air and gas to escape as the molding material is injected into the cavities. These grooves are relatively shallow, being approximately .001" deep.

Die section I! is also provided with a recessed portion 45 at the lower right hand corner and a block 46, having a number. of large cavities 4! 7 It even more and several smaller cavities 48 iormed therein,

is positioned in this recessed portion and fixed i to the die section II, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and cavities 41 form' the larger blocks 3|as shown a r in Fig. 2; The lower surface of block I! is re- .material in the several areas and in the several 7 precise areas desired, a. complicated interior die other by smaller plates 5 35 of substantially the same thickness as the cessed in several places 49 to permit tapered projecting portions 54 of the plates .34 to extend therein without touching the block when the three die sections are joined together. These portions 54 are provided to facilitate positioning the strips between thev plates. The recessed portions 36 of theplates 34 and 35 cooperate with the cavities 41 in the block 46 to form a. number of enclosed mold' cavities, as shown in Fig. 2, a runner 26 extending from the chamber to each of these cavities.

As may be seen in Fig. 9, the insulating blocks 3| have apertures 5| formed through the, upper portion thereof.. These apertures are formed during molding by a number of rods 52 which .are slidably supported in the blocklfi and are extensible into the large cavities, in the block 46. These rods aremounted on a -heavy block 53 to facilitate withdrawal as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. 7

Figs. 3 to 6, in a number of sectional views taken progressively ata number of points along the holder 33 and sections l5 and H, the sections being joined together and the holder being clamped in position in the recessed portion of the section I5 as shown in Fig. 1, illustrate how the small blocks 30 and large blocks 3| are formed on the strips 29. The small block 30 and the strips 29 may be seen in Fig. 3. The projecting portions of the large plates 34 extend into the recessed portions 49 in the bottom of. theblock cavity 41 used in forming the large blocks 3|, and

I the rod 52 which forms the aperture 5| through the upper portion ofthis block are shown in molding position in Fig. 6. The several sections fthe die are heated through a number of tubularapertures 59 formed therein. Steammay be circulatedthrough these apertures or electrical heating elements inserted therein. In the operation of this device,the three sections of the die are clamped together by any suitable means, the molding material is positioned in the chamber 25 and a ram 21 actuated to extrude the material through the radially extending.

outlets 26 to inject it into the several mold cavities. By employing ribbon shaped runners, the

speed and uniformity of heating of the molding materialis substantially increased. An extrusion pressure should be selected which will be suflicient to inject the molding material into the mold cavities after the material is completely plasticized, but before polymerization of the material is sufiiciently advanced to cause it to set in the runners.

In order to prevent scoring at thebase of the extrusion chamber as molding material is extruded, an insert 28 of specially. hardened metal is positioned in the surface of section It forming the base of the extrusion chamber, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. After the material has cured in the heated mold cavities sufiiciently, the wedge 43 is removed, thus loosening the plates of the holder 33. The sections l5 and I! are then lifted away from the section I5 or the section l5 lowered from sections 6 and H, the molded assembly l8 of parts remaining attached to die section I1 because of the shape of the cavities in the 29 being shown 7 block, 48. The operator then withdraws the rods from the block 46. A sprue portion 5|] of the assembly may then be broken oil.

While but one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A molding apparatus having a sectional die, a recessed portion in one of said sections, a laminated insert holder in said recessed portion, a wedge in said recessed portion adjacent said laminated insert holder for clamping said laminations together, another section having a. recessed portion therein, a block in said recessed portion, said block being provided with a plurality of cavities, said cavities and said laminated insert holder cooperating with said die holders and positioned together to form anumber of separate mold cavities, an extrusion chamber in one of said sections, and a number of outlets leadin from said chamber to each of said cavities.

2. A molding apparatus having a sectional die, a recessed portion in one of said sections, a laminated insert holder in said recessed portion, said holder comprising a plurality of plates, some of said plates acting as spacers for the other plates,

- said holder being designed to receive an insert.

a wedge adjacent said holder for clamping said plates together to engage said insert, another section having a recessed portion therein, a block in said recessed portion, said block being provided lets leading from said chamber to each of said cavities.

3. In a molding apparatus, a work holder comprising a plurality 01' plates, said plates cooperating to form parts or a number of mold cavities, means for clamping said plates together, raised portions formed in the areas adjacent said mold cavities on some or said plates to concentrate the clamping force in those areas, and reenforcing raised portions formed on said plates in the areas between said clamping raised portions, said reinforcing raised portions being slightly lower than said clamping raised portions.

4. A molding die having an extrusion chamber for receiving molding material, an elongated molding cavity, and a plurality of ribbon-like outlets extending from said chamber to said cavity,

said outlets being of substantially the same depth.

but of varying width and length, the longer outlets having portions of greater width than the corresponding portions of the shorter outlets. said wider portions 7 being adjacent the extrusion chamber.

5. In a molding apparatus, a sectional. die, an extrusion chamber in one of said sections for receiving molding compound; one of said sections with a plurality of cavities, said cavities and said V having a recess formed therein, a laminatedinsert holder in said recess, another of said sections having a plurality of cavities formed therein spaced at varying distances from said extrusion chamber, said cavities and said holder cooperat. ing to form a plurality of molding chambers, and a plurality of ribbon-like outlets extending from said extrusion chamber to said molding chambers, said outlets being of substantially the same depth but of varying width and length, the longer outlets having portions 01 greater width than. the corresponding portions of the shorter outlets, said wider portions being adjacent the extrusion chamber.

GEORGE H. FRANK. BRUNO M. A. TREBES. 

